Friday, September 11, 2009

Estonia travel advice

Travel Summary

  • There are confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) - Swine Flu in Estonia. You can check for the updates through the Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs website - http://www.sm.ee/eng.html (in English) and the Estonian Health Protection Inspectorate website - http://www.tervisekaitse.ee/?lang=3 (in English). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at: www.who.int has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page for further information. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk. See the Health section of this advice for more details.

  • There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

  • You should be aware that petty theft, especially in Tallinn Old Town, is becoming increasingly common. See the Crime section of this advice for more details.

  • You must have the original V5 C (Vehicle Registration Document) if driving into Estonia. See the Road Travel section of this advice for more details.

  • Around 56,000 British nationals visit Estonia every year (Source: Estonian Tourist Board). Most visits are trouble-free. The main type of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in Estonia in 2007 was for replacing lost or stolen passports; being a victim of petty crime. If you need to contact the emergency services in Estonia call 112.

  • We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Safety and security

Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

Crime

With the growth of tourism, there has been an increase in tourist-targeted crime, particularly petty theft. You should be aware of the risks of pick pocketing and muggings, especially in bars, pubs, nightclubs and hotels in Tallinn’s Old Town. Remain vigilant, take sensible precautions and avoid unlit side streets and parks at night. It is safer to phone for a taxi rather than hail one from the street, whether official looking or not.

Theft of property should be reported in person to Tallinn Central Police Station, Parnu maantee 11, tel 6124200. You will need to obtain a police report if you have lost your passport.
For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

Political Situation

Estonia Country Profile

Local Travel

Tickets and travel cards for single journeys or for a number of hours or days for trams, trolley buses and buses are sold at “R” kiosks. You can also buy books of 10 single tickets. Tickets can be bought from drivers, but they cost more. It is also advisable to have the correct change in these circumstances. For the ticket to be valid, you must stamp it yourself in a machine in the vehicle. If a ticket inspector finds you do not have a valid ticket, you will be fined.

Taxis are widely available and are reasonably priced. However, do make sure there is a visible meter and that it is being used. It is better to phone a major taxi company such as Tulika Takso (tel 6120000), Linnatakso (tel 6442442), Klubi Takso (tel 6380638) or Krooni Takso (tel 6381111) rather than hail one from the street. These companies are usually able to tell you the type, number and colour of the car in advance. Do not use taxis that are unmarked; they are illegal and usually cost a lot more than registered taxis. They also might be unsafe.

Road Travel

You can drive in Estonia on a UK driving licence. If you intend to drive your own vehicle in Estonia you must also have the original V5 C (Vehicle Registration Document). The Estonian Border Guards will impound your vehicle if you do not have this.

Road traffic accidents are common. Extra care must be taken at all times when driving, particularly after dark and on major highways. There were 196 road deaths in Estonia in 2007 (Source: Estonian Road Administration press release). This equates to 16.3 road deaths per 100,000 of population, compared to the UK average of 5.0 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2007. (Source: DfT).

By law, headlights of vehicles must be on at all times, including daylight hours. Winter tyres are a legal requirement from 1 December to 1 March every year, but if there are severe weather conditions outside these dates (likely in most years) the dates will change accordingly. You should therefore check local conditions if driving in Estonia between October and April.

Do not drink and drive. The legal limit is zero. Those found over the limit face a fine and possible imprisonment.
For more general information see Driving Abroad.
Air Travel
EU Aviation Regulations
The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in Estonia. For more details about this see Airline Security.

Local laws and customs

You should not use, buy or possess drugs: sale and distribution is illegal and the possession of even the smallest quantities can lead to up to 10 years imprisonment.
Leave passports and valuables in hotel safes, and carry a photocopy of your passport as identification.
For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.

Entry requirements

Visas
Visas are not required to enter Estonia. As a British passport holder you can remain in Estonia for up to 90 days without a residence permit so long as you have a valid passport. If you intend to live and work in Estonia you will need to obtain a residence permit from the Estonian Citizenship and Migration Board - http://www.mig.ee/index.php/mg/eng.

Holders of a UK Convention Travel Document

If you are a holder of a UK Convention travel document, it may say on page 30 that you do not need a visa for short visits to Estonia. This is no longer the case and you will always need a visa to visit Estonia using a convention travel document. More details are available from UKBA.

Further details on how to apply for a visa are available from the Estonian Embassy in London.
Passport validity
Passports should have at least three months validity remaining on entry.
Travelling with children
The entry requirements for children between ages 7-15 entering into Estonia are as follows:
a. The child must have his/her own passport.
or
b. The name, date of birth, and photograph of the child must be entered in the passport held by the accompanying parent (a photograph is not needed if the child is under seven years of age).

Health

You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Estonian nationals. Please make sure you have your photographic ID with you together with your European Health Insurance card when applying for medical treatment. You will not be covered for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. For more general information see EHIC.

The healthcare facilities in Estonia are very good. There are two main hospitals in Tallinn, Mustamae hospital and East Tallinn Central Hospital. There will be staff in both hospitals that speak English.

In the 2000 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 9,900 adults aged 15 or over in Estonia were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 1.3% of the adult population, compared tothe prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Estonia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland's Fit For Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

Swine Flu

There are confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) - Swine Flu in Estonia. You can check for the updates through the Estonian Ministry of Social Affairs website - http://www.sm.ee/eng.html (in English) and the Estonian Health Protection Inspectorate website - http://www.tervisekaitse.ee/?lang=3 (in English). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at: www.who.int has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page for further information. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk. The government of Estonia currently have no swine flu related restrictions on entry to Estonia. Travellers who suspect that they may be displaying symptoms should seek advice from their carrier before travelling.

General

Insurance
We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You must have valid health insurance to the value of 400,000 Estonian Kroons (approximately £17,500 at the current exchange rate) for the duration of their stay. You are advised to re-check the exchange rate before travelling to ensure you have adequate cover. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. For more general information see Travel Insurance.

If things do go wrong when you are oversees then this is How We Can Help.
Registering with the British Embassy

If you are planning to be in Estonia for longer than six months, you should visit the Embassy website: http://ukinestonia.fco.gov.uk and view the advice on 'information for longer stayers' in the Consular section. You may also register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Issuing replacement passports

The British Embassy in Tallinn is unable to issue any form of travel document other than emergency passports. This passport allows holders to return to the United Kingdom (via a third country if necessary) but cannot be used for onward travel to other countries. For more details please go to: http://ukinestonia.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/lost-or-stolen-passports. UK passport applications from British Nationals resident in Estonia are handled by the British Passport Processing Centre in Düsseldorf, Germany. For more details please go to http://ukingermany.fco.gov.uk/en/passports/welcome.

Money
New legislation on the controls of cash entering or leaving the EU will apply in all Member States from 15 June 2007. Any person entering or leaving the EU will have to declare the cash that they are carrying if this amounts to 10,000 euros or more; this includes cheques, travellers' cheques, money orders, etc. This will not apply to anyone travelling via the EU to a non-EU country, as long as the original journey started outside of the EU nor to those travelling within the EU.

No comments:

Post a Comment